Animals, Art and Therapy

This is a course about using animals to assist in art therapy.

But why use animals?

There are many reasons and these are discussed in the course. They include:

• Non-Judgmental Presence: Animals provide a non-judgmental and accepting presence, which can create a safe and supportive environment for clients to express themselves creatively without fear of criticism.
• Stress Reduction: Interacting with animals has been shown to reduce stress levels. The presence of an animal during art therapy can help clients feel more relaxed and calm, which can facilitate the therapeutic process.
• Enhanced Engagement: Animals can help to engage clients who might otherwise be reluctant to participate in therapy. The presence of an animal can be a motivating factor that encourages clients to attend sessions and engage with the therapeutic process.
• Increased Comfort: For individuals who struggle with social interactions, animals can serve as social lubricants, making it easier for them to open up and communicate with the therapist.
• Emotional Support: Animals can provide emotional support and companionship, which can be particularly beneficial for clients dealing with emotional trauma, depression, or anxiety.
• Improved Mood: Interacting with animals can increase levels of oxytocin, a hormone associated with happiness and bonding. This can help lift a client’s mood and create a more positive atmosphere for art therapy.

And there are more.

But that doesn’t tell you why to enrol. Anyone can just google ‘AAAT’ and get similar reasons to those.

This course (shot in beautiful countryside) uses LOCAL animals to prompt you to carry out animal art therapy exercises. These are animals you most probably see every day such as:

• pigeons
• hares
• birds
• mice
• magpies
• cats
• dogs
• stoat
• robins

OK maybe not all of them but as the course uses footage of such animals shot locally, you’ll be able to use these videos and exercises in art therapy for yourself or for others.

Oh yes, there’s also a duck used for art therapy assistance.

The lectures are serious – but do have their funny bits!